# 1 Samuel 15 š: The Lord Rejects Saul
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Saul Is Rejected as King
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Then Samuel said to Saul, āI was the one theĀ LordĀ sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what theĀ LordĀ says.Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā Here is what theĀ LordĀ of Heavenās Armies has said: āI carefully observed how the Amalekites opposedĀ Israel along the way when IsraelĀ came up from Egypt.Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything they have. Donāt spareĀ them. Put them to deathāman, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.āā
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā So Saul assembledĀ the armyĀ and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.Ā
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā Saul proceeded to the cityĀ of Amalek, where he set an ambushĀ in the wadi.
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā Saul said to the Kenites, āGo on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites. Otherwise I will sweep you awayĀ with them. After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.ā So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah toĀ Shur, which is next to Egypt.Ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agagās peopleĀ with the sword.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings,Ā and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value.Ā They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despisedĀ and worthless.
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā Then theĀ Lordās message came to Samuel:Ā
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā āI regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.ā Samuel became angry and he cried out to theĀ LordĀ all that night.
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, āSaul has gone to Carmel whereĀ he is setting up a monument for himself.ā Then Samuel leftĀ and went down to Gilgal.
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, āMay theĀ LordĀ bless you! I have fulfilled theĀ Lordās orders.ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā Samuel replied, āIf that is the case,Ā then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?āĀ
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā Saul said, āThey were broughtĀ from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to theĀ LordĀ our God. But everything else we slaughtered.ā
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā Then Samuel said to Saul, āWait a minute!Ā Let me tell you what theĀ LordĀ said to me last night.ā Saulsaid to him, āTell me.āĀ
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā Samuel said, āIs it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? TheĀ LordĀ choseĀ you as king over Israel.Ā
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ sent you on a campaignĀ saying, āGo and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until youĀ have destroyed them.āĀ
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā Why havenāt you obeyedĀ theĀ Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in theĀ Lordās estimation.ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā Then Saul said to Samuel, āBut I have obeyedĀ theĀ Lord! I went on the campaignĀ theĀ LordĀ sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites.Ā
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattleāthe best of what was to be slaughteredāto sacrifice to theĀ LordĀ your God in Gilgal.ā
[[#Verse 22.]]Ā Then Samuel said, āDoes theĀ LordĀ take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly,Ā obedienceĀ is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better thanĀ the fat of rams.
[[#Verse 23.]]Ā For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected theĀ Lordās orders,
he has rejected you from being king.ā
[[#Verse 24.]]Ā Then Saul said to Samuel, āI have sinned, for I have disobeyed what theĀ LordĀ commandedĀ and your words as well. For I was afraid of the army,Ā and I obeyed their voice.Ā
[[#Verse 25.]]Ā Now please forgive my sin. Go back with me so I can worship theĀ Lord.ā
[[#Verse 26.]]Ā Samuel said to Saul, āI will not go back with you, for you have rejected theĀ Lordās orders,Ā and theĀ LordĀ has rejected you from being king over Israel!ā
[[#Verse 27.]]Ā When Samuel turned to leave, SaulĀ grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore.Ā
[[#Verse 28.]]Ā Samuel said to him, āTheĀ LordĀ has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you!
[[#Verse 29.]]Ā The Preeminent OneĀ of Israel does not go back on his wordĀ or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.āĀ
[[#Verse 30.]]Ā SaulĀ again replied, āI have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship theĀ LordĀ your God.ā
[[#Verse 31.]]Ā So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped theĀ Lord.
### Samuel Puts Agag to Death
[[#Verse 32.]]Ā Then Samuel said, āBring me King Agag of the Amalekites.ā So Agag came to him trembling,Ā thinking to himself,Ā āSurely death is bitter!ā
[[#Verse 33.]]Ā Samuel said, āJust as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereavedĀ among women.ā Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before theĀ Lord.
[[#Verse 34.]]Ā Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul.Ā
[[#Verse 35.]]Ā Until the day hedied, Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but theĀ LordĀ regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
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###### Verse 11.
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###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
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###### Verse 28.
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###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The Amalekites attacked Israel's weakest people in the wilderness (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
2. Saul warned the Kenites to leave because they had shown kindness to Israel (15:6). Moses' father-in-law was a Kenite (Judges 1:16).
3. Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock (15:9).
4. Saul set up a monument for himself at Carmel (15:12), a town in Judah, not the mountain in the north.
5. Saul claimed the animals were saved for sacrifice (15:15, 21).
6. Samuel compared rebellion to divination and stubbornness to idolatry (15:23).
7. When Saul grabbed Samuel's robe and it tore, Samuel said the kingdom had been torn from Saul (15:27-28).
8. The chapter says the Lord regretted making Saul king (15:11, 35), and also that God does not change His mind like a human (15:29). God's character is unchanging even as He responds to people's choices.
9. Samuel put Agag to death at Gilgal (15:33).
10. Haman, the enemy of the Jews in Esther, is called an Agagite (Esther 3:1), and many interpreters connect him to Agag.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the perfectly obedient Son. Saul offered sacrifice in place of obedience (15:22), but Jesus came to do God's will, and by His obedient sacrifice we are made holy (Hebrews 10:5-10).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Saul kept the best of what God told him to destroy (15:9). Where are we tempted to obey God partially?
2. Saul set up a monument for himself (15:12) and blamed the people (15:15, 21). What does this reveal about his heart?
3. Samuel said obedience is better than sacrifice (15:22). Why does God value obedience over religious activity?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 11: The Lord says He regrets making Saul king because Saul has turned away.
- š verse 22: To obey is better than sacrifice.
- š verse 23: Because Saul rejected the Lord's word, the Lord rejected him as king.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Exodus 17#Verse 08.|Exodus 17:8-16]] - Israel's first battle with Amalek.
- š [[Deuteronomy 25#Verse 17.|Deuteronomy 25:17-19]] - Remember what Amalek did.
- š [[Hosea 06#Verse 06.|Hosea 6:6]] - God desires mercy and knowledge of Him more than sacrifice.
- š [[Esther 03#Verse 01.|Esther 3:1]] - Haman the Agagite.
- š [[Hebrews 10#Verse 05.|Hebrews 10:5-10]] - Christ came to do God's will.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[1 Samuel 15 - SOAP|The Lord Sees More Than We See]]
## š Internal Notes